The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-06-24

Abijah was strolling along the creek
that ran through the stump lot. few
rods back from his fathers house. He
wore as protection against dirt
blue gingham ovcr-garment. made aft
er the fashion Of n mans shirt. and
reaching to his knees. He could walk
when he had it on. but II he wished 10
make gigantic strides. he must needs
hold the skirt Of it up.
Sometimes. as he ramblcd. ne
jumped over a stump, and sometimes
he threw sticks into the stream and
once and finally he lay down at full
length upon an overhanging grassy
bank. where the stream was deep still,
and with his face over the edge looked
down into the water.
As he lay. wondering II fish
wouldn't 'slook comipal' II il had ears
ike a hounds. and II. in such case.
It would 10 likely to step on its ears
and stumble. movement in the wa
ter arrested his attention. and. after
moment Of wide-eyed gazing, he
reached down and pulled out into the
dry light Of day . huge snapping-tur-
| lie.
With the same motion that drew the
turtle from the water he threw !,
several feet from him out on the green
sward. and with his heart beating
faster than its wont he rose and
watched it perform" 1t had fallen
upon It's back. and when it had rallied
! lis astonished and scattered wits it
thrust out his head and its rough white
neck. and placing its head on the
ground. turned itself over.
II seemed TO Bile that the turtle
looked mt him and dcficd him. It.
needed no challenge 10 make him
afraid Of 1t: he was afraid already.
But he took long stick and poked il;
and /; Kissed and spat like an angry
cat. and snapped fierccly at the stick.
and raised itself up from the ground on
its feet. and Missed more and worse. he
whispered. in his terrified heart;
'Landy. I'll keep away from vour
| Ii je was not intimately acquainted
with turtles. and it occurred 20 him.
A. he was poking at this one. that for
aught he knew il might when its
patience was gone. fly at him and
scratch his eyes out; and he thence
forth confined his operations to very
gently preventing il from returning 70
I the water.
H. had heard his grandmother tell
Of cooking mortal great iurklc'
that his grandfather caught when the
family .'was moving in a wagon out TO
lndianny." and he recalled mouth
watering statements relative TO the de-
liciousness az the said turkle ''and Of
other furkles" He remembered hear
ing too that man who lived over on
the saw-miIl road had put a turtle into
his swill barrel. where IL had fattcned
until it was just right 70 eat; and Bile
said TO himself that he would put his
turtle into the family swill barrel. and
have ii for dinner on his birthday.
A. he sa. contentcdly on > stump
keeping guard he pictured to himself
his turtle grown amazingly delicious
and too large to live longer in the
swill barrel. and then far more deli.
cious and too big to be comfortable in
the mill-pond; and 50 did his imagina-
ton run riot that he was about Ia
behold it absolutely enshrouded in de.
liciousness, and As large as the sandy
lot, when he was confronted by . dis.
NAL problcm--how to get the creature
home.
II was useless to call for his mother
for she was across the road from tn
house picking berries. II he left thu
turtle and went for help. Il was certain
10 go back into the creek; and rs far a
carrying IL home BY the tail not he
, not while II had headi
, After mature dcliveration. ne mad
: moose in the end 81 . cord and ap
preached the turtle from behind and
: tried to lasso its tail. intending 4
: march triumphantly home with th'
J beast in tow; but this was tail tina
. loved liberty. and IL refused 10 be las
} seed. At last. grown desperate, he re
, solved TO drive two stakes into tn
ground. about eight inches apart, AM
} .shoor the turtle toward them unit
: the front Of it, shell was between
! them. and then drive two more stick
} close behind IL, and 90 and get hi
I mother and the grain shovel and
, bushcl basket.
J; A he went In search IT the first stak
{ 70 be driven in this deep plot. b
|. noted. - his great annoyance, tho ar
. proach Of his fathers spotted caf Tn
: calf in its infancy hal licked tho All
, ing ont Of custarl pie that hi
> mother had made for him and set o.
! on : bench to cool, and q had "a
. away when he was leading Il ~
! rOpc. and dragged him Though thrs
Z distinct mud puddlcs and Ave ripe o
Q eumbers; and when he resolved. - !
: did resolve. that II his liib were spare
! be would protect the calf from q
. turtle. Il was not that he loved tho ca
: more, but that he loved tho turtle les
}. But argument was lost upon the cal
y and Il was too tame to DO chased; ~
y ". nit ~vas lookin0 for tho sccOi